Health And Fitness

How to prevent and treat chilblains on the foot?

Chilblains are a very common problem on the foot in colder climates. They are virtually unknown in hotter climates. They are a painful reaction of the circulation in the toes after a foot is cold and are warmed up too rapidly. Because of this problem with the blood circulation not reacting, there's an inflammatory reaction that results in small red and itchy lesions on the skin on the toes. If the problem becomes more chronic the skin takes on a painful darker discolouration because waste elements develop.

The ideal management of chilblains is prevention. Firstly, wear good hosiery and shoes so that the feet do not get too cold. In the event that the foot does get cold do not place it in from of a heat source so that it gets warm too quickly. The foot must be allowed to warm up gradually so the blood circulation has time to adapt to the changes in temperature. Once a chilblain does develop it needs to be protected so that it can get better, especially if the skin is damaged. Keep it covered to protect it from damage from the footwear. Soothing chilblain creams can be used to stimulate the blood circulation and help remove the harmful toxins which have built up in the skin which are causing the inflammation and irritation. Care must also be taken to prevent more chilblains developing, so the methods that should be used to protect against them should be used even more. It is possible to get another one before the first one has healed up transforming this into a chronic condition. If the local measures to take care of the problem do not help, there are some medicines a doctor can suggest which you can use to open up the circulation. The drugs are not unique to the feet and work everywhere, so can be restricted to the more severe cases. In the very worst cases, it is not uncommon that they be given advice to relocate and live in warmer climates.